1) What qualities make the nominee deserving of the Z3 Bridge Builder Award?

Judi Leib is a dynamic leader and community builder who has dedicated her work to bridging divides within and beyond the Jewish community. As President and co-founder of Challah and Soul, Judi has created groundbreaking, cross-cultural programs that center shared histories, uplift marginalized voices, and spark transformative conversations around identity, justice, and belonging.

At the core of Judi’s leadership is her belief that food and storytelling are powerful tools for connection. She has pioneered innovative experiences that bring diverse communities together around the table—not just to eat, but to listen, learn, and build empathy. These qualities include but are not limited to:
• Radical Empathy & Inclusivity: Judi meets people where they are, creating brave spaces that allow for both vulnerability and joy. She doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations and leads with compassion, making others feel seen, heard, and honored.
• Visionary Leadership: Judi has spearheaded unique, intersectional programs that confront hard truths—like racism and antisemitism—while also celebrating resilience, shared values, and community.
• Creative Connector: Through the lens of food, culture, and history, Judi connects people who might never otherwise sit at the same table. Her work is rooted in hospitality and healing.
* Mentorship & Leadership: All of these qualities would be for naught unless Judi saw the need to mentor the next generation to continue to lead her mission.

2) In what ways has the nominee demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to their work in bridging divides?

Judi’s leadership is marked by innovation. She developed The Soulful Seder, a nationally recognized experience that intertwines African American and Jewish liberation narratives. This gathering, which blends ritual, food, and personal reflection, invites participants of all backgrounds into powerful conversations around justice, identity, and shared memory. It’s not just a reimagining of tradition—it’s a bold act of bridge-building that speaks to Judi’s ability to see intersections others often miss.

Another example of her leadership is Juneteenth & Shabbat Fusion Dinners, which Judi envisioned to honor both the end of slavery in the U.S. and the Jewish tradition of rest and reflection. These events create space for joy, reckoning, and solidarity, and have become trusted forums for intergroup dialogue and community connection.

Judi also leads Cross-Cultural Shabbat Dinners that bring together Black, Jewish, and interfaith participants for curated meals and conversations. These are more than dinners—they are containers for truth-telling and healing, hosted with the empathy, structure, and cultural awareness that Judi uniquely brings.

Her commitment to equity is reflected in her focus on amplifying underrepresented voices within the Jewish community, particularly Jews of Color, LGBTQ+ Jews, and those with multicultural backgrounds. Through storytelling circles, cooking workshops, and mentorship, Judi uplifts others while sharing the spotlight, ensuring those most often left out of the narrative have a seat at the table and a microphone in hand.

Judi’s leadership is also grounded in sustainable community-building. She partners with synagogues, universities, nonprofits, and cultural institutions to lead educational programs that examine the historical intersections of Black and Jewish experiences in America. Her method—using food and story as entry points—creates meaningful engagement that feels personal and accessible, yet deeply transformative.

Equally important is her role as a mentor. Judi is deeply committed to supporting emerging leaders, especially women and Jews of Color. Her mentorship reflects a humility and long-term vision that puts the health of the community ahead of personal recognition.

Judi Leib does not wait for moments of crisis to take action. Her bridge-building work is ongoing, consistent, and deeply rooted in her values. She leads with warmth and vision, creating spaces where people can wrestle with hard truths, celebrate their full identities, and build relationships grounded in mutual respect.

In every initiative she touches, Judi demonstrates not only creativity and care, but the courage to push for a more inclusive and united future. Her leadership is a model for what’s possible when we bridge with intention, and she is richly deserving of recognition.

3) How has the nominee's work impacted the Jewish community and beyond?

Judi Leib’s work through Challah and Soul has created a powerful, lasting impact that reaches far beyond the events she hosts. Rooted in a commitment to real change—not performance—her programs and leadership have transformed the way communities engage with one another, reshaping Jewish communal life and strengthening relationships across lines of race, faith, and culture.

At the core of Judi’s impact is her ability to expand the narrative of Jewish identity. Through inclusive programming that celebrates complexity and intersectionality, she has made space for Jews of Color, LGBTQ+ Jews, and those with multicultural or Southern heritage to feel fully seen, heard, and valued. Her work has helped shift Jewish communal life toward a model of true inclusion, inspiring synagogues and institutions to reconsider how they build community, tell stories, and nurture leadership.

Participants in Judi’s programs consistently leave with more than just full plates—they leave with new understanding, deepened empathy, and a personal stake in repairing the world. Many describe her work as life-changing. That impact extends outward, as attendees bring their insights to their families, synagogues, workplaces, and broader communities.

Judi’s commitment to mentorship and leadership development also extends her impact. She actively uplifts emerging voices—particularly women and Jews of Color—creating platforms for others to be seen and heard. Her mentorship ensures that her work doesn’t end with her; it multiplies, planting seeds for a future that is more inclusive, courageous, and representative.

What sets Judi apart is that she doesn’t chase optics or performative gestures. She builds spaces where people are called to show up with honesty, humility, and hope. Her work challenges, heals, and connects—and it’s making a measurable difference in how the Jewish community shows up for itself and others.

In a world often divided by fear and silence, Judi Leib is a catalyst for courageous connection. Her work bridges not only communities, but hearts and histories—leaving a lasting imprint wherever it goes.